Against the World
by Puppets Blizzt
Summary: Title tentative. Another take on the apple scenario from Season 5. It's not a fluke, and Lorelai and Luke prepare to take on the world together.
1. Worries and Concerns

YAY FOR ANOTHER NEW STORY.

Haha, maybe. I'm still working on Concerning You and I **will **finish it, but I had this idea when rewatching Gilmore Girls for the umpteenth time. I've never actually written it until now. Some notes to remember:

I've changed the Luke and Lorelai timeline. They've known each other longer than eight years. The exact number is unknown.

Rory will probably not be in this story a lot. I hate when JavaJunkie stories also focus on Rory and her life. This is strictly JavaJunkie with dashes of townies and Rory. But not a lot of them. I'm still not entirely sure what's going on with Rory right now (if she dropped out of Yale or not), but I'll try to confirm that in the next chapter, however subtle.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Gilmore Girls. If I did, the apple would not have been a fluke.

* * *

><p>Lorelai Gilmore stared down at the apple in her hand, confused. Since when did she eat apples? She could not remember a single moment in her life where she had ever craved fruit except when she was pregnant with Rory. It worried her to think that she could be pregnant again. Not only was she at an age where being pregnant was risky, but she wasn't sure she was ready for another child. She didn't know if she could handle it. If Luke could handle it.<p>

_Oh, God_, she grimaced. What if Luke broke up with her because he wasn't ready for a child? What if he abandoned her like Christopher did and just left? If she had been thinking normally, she never would have doubted Luke's character like that, but she was in a state of panic, and thus was not thinking as she normally would. She turned it over in her hand. Her chest tightened with nervousness. The doctor's words had not been reassuring. Rory's words had not been reassuring. No one could reassure her that this could possibly be a good thing.

The first apple from a week ago had worried her, but the MoonPie and Ding Dong had crushed her worries. But now, as she stared at the fifth apple since that moment, she was starting to have doubts. In one more week, she could confirm her worries. In one more week, she would have an answer.

She cast another glance at the apple, turned it over in the palm of her hand. She frowned. She really wasn't sure if a baby would work into her life. The inn was doing so well. Her relationship was going so well. She had gotten things back on track with her parents… she didn't want to ruin anything. She set the apple on her desk and stared at it for a second longer before going back to her paperwork.

She had requested that no one bother her today, and so far the request had been upheld. She sat in silence in her office, staring at the wall across from her. She couldn't focus. She hadn't been able to for the past week, and she knew that another week would be just the same. She sighed and set her pen on the desk, leaning back in her chair. Her hand wandered over her stomach, and, for a moment, she pictured what it would be like to be a mother again – the positive aspects. A happy smile crossed her face as she was reminded of her pregnancy with Rory.

_She settled into bed, nestling herself between the sheets. She had an assortment of food arranged around her. A stack of magazines sat askew to her right. The TV in front of her was running loyally. She sighed contentedly. She was happy. Chris wasn't around, but she was happy. These few weeks had proved that she didn't need Christopher. Her parents were being harsh and controlling, but these nights alone in her room – just her and the baby growing inside her – made it all worth it. She let her hand rest on her belly._

"_Can you hear me, baby?" she asked softly. She had not named her yet. She couldn't decide. There were so many choices and she knew the name had to be perfect. The perfect name for the perfect daughter. She asked the baby this every night, hoping that one night, she would get a response. _

_She had so many worries about being a mother, but she had so much love to give, she knew they would come out okay. _

"_If you can hear me," she said quietly, "let me know. I love you so much. You're going to be so loved, you know. By me… your grandparents…"_

_She had just about given up hope when a light tickling sensation grazed her insides. She gave a small gasp, a smile on her face. It tickled! She sat up a little, her hand flying to the place she had felt the kick._

"_You're so smart," she smiled, "I love you."_

She remembered those moments like yesterday. They made her smile every day. In those darker times of her life – when her parents had been so controlling of her – she had a light. She had a daughter; someone who shared her DNA, someone who resembled her in so many ways. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have another child.

And, after all, it _was _Luke. If someone had told her seven years ago that she would be in a relationship with Luke, she would have dismissed them as yet another one of the crazy townies of Stars Hollow. She never would have thought that she and Luke would become one of the most beloved couples in town. She never would have imagined that they'd be doing so well as a couple. She would have laughed, seven years ago, if someone had told her they could be expecting a child.

The following hours passed by quickly, and when the clock chimed, signaling for her to go home, she left willingly. Where she usually stayed behind until she had finished, she was out the door faster than she had ever been before. She just wanted to go home and think. Calm down and have a day of silence. Days of silence.

She hadn't told Sookie yet. She hadn't told Luke yet. The only person she had told was Rory, and that was because she was her daughter and her daughter was her best friend. She would wait for confirmation. _Then_, and only then, would she worry everyone else.

On her way home, she braved a trip to the diner. She had done her best to go about her usual routine, but meetings between she and Luke had become increasingly awkward the more Lorelai worried. She entered the diner and chased Luke for a kiss before sitting down at a table. When he came over, she smiled up at him. He would be a good father. He had never had a child of his own, but he had always been there for Rory. Surely he would be okay with a child of his own, too. She was beginning to feel okay about this. That is, until a group of noisy kids started causing a commotion in the diner and Luke yelled at them… maybe not. She grimaced.

Seven days. Then six days. Then five days… days turned to hours and hours turned to minutes. At two weeks, she left work early to drive to Hartford. She didn't know what she'd do if she were alone when she found out, so she asked Rory to come with her. Her daughter agreed to come instantly.

Lorelai came out of the bathroom stall with the pregnancy test in her hand. She wasn't looking at it. Instead, her eyes were transfixed on Rory. She walked forward and shook her head.

"I can't look," she confessed.

"Sure you can," Rory encouraged, "look down, read, announce result."

"No," Lorelai argued, "I can't…"

She pushed it into her daughter's hands.

"What?" Rory asked in surprise.

"You read it. Tell me what it says."

Rory opened her mouth to argue, but decided against it. If her mother wanted her to read it for her… fine. She took it in her hands, stared at her mother, and then looked down at the test.

Lorelai's breath hitched in anticipation.

Rory's gaze lifted to meet her eyes. Blue met blue.

"You're pregnant…" Rory said, stunned.

"I am?" Lorelai asked, horrified and excited all at once.

"That's what it says," Rory replied, handing the pregnancy test back. Lorelai took it and looked at it. "POSITIVE" glared at her. She looked back up at Rory and shook her head with worry.

"What if he leaves?" Lorelai asked, "what if he doesn't want a child? What if—"

"Mom," Rory cut her off, "it's Luke. He loves you. He will love this child. Don't worry." She embraced her in a hug. Lorelai broke down in her arms, crying into the shoulder of her daughter. "It's going to be okay, really."

"I hope so…"

* * *

><p>Now that Lorelai knew she was pregnant, she worried infinitely more. She was cautious about everything she did. Mother-mode had been turned on again. She knew she'd have to tell Luke. Days had passed and she couldn't muster up the courage. She couldn't face him. She wouldn't be able to handle it if he left her… She just wouldn't. She would be so heartbroken if he left. She loved him. It had taken her months to admit it. The whole expanding the inn idea… the sole reason she had decided against it was because of him. If she took up their offer, she'd be travelling everywhere. She knew Luke wouldn't want to leave Stars Hollow, and she didn't want to leave him. She had never factored someone into her life's decisions so much…<p>

She knew she had to tell him. She couldn't bear raising a child alone again, but she also couldn't bear _not _telling him. She walked into the diner, frowning at how busy it was. She tracked down Luke quickly. After kissing him in greeting, she pulled him off to the side of the hustle.

"Hey, Luke, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked.

"What? Why? Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"No," Lorelai assured him, "nothing's wrong." _I hope so, at least_. "I just need to talk to you. Alone."

Luke started to worry anyway, but he nodded. "Yeah, sure. Okay. Uh, storage room." He pointed to the storage room and then nodded to Caesar, who nodded back in understanding.

"Great," Lorelai nodded. She turned and hurried there. She walked a few steps in, and turned around, waiting for Luke to join her. She tried to calm her racing heart, but she couldn't. A million thoughts flew through her head. How was she going to tell him? Should she just jump right in? Should she lead into it? She danced impatiently on her feet and turned in circles a few times, anxious. Luke entered the storage room and shut the door.

"What is it?" His eyes betrayed his worry.

Lorelai gave a small laugh, stepping towards him to rub his arm comfortingly. "Calm down, Luke. Please. It's nothing bad. I promise."

Luke drew a breath, nodding, "okay."

"Do you remember," Lorelai asked nervously, "when we went to the party in New York? For the article on the Inn?"

Luke nodded, "Yeah."

"Do you remember what happened after?" she questioned.

Luke thought for a moment, and realization dawned on him. His features went from worry to shock.

"Lorelai…" he trailed off in disbelief.

"Luke," Lorelai breathed, struggling to get the words out. She felt like she could just disappear now. She wished she hadn't even come. Seeing him standing there, shocked… it just deepened her fears that he would leave. She closed her eyes to calm herself. "Luke… I'm pregnant."

He stared at her; tried to speak, but no words came out.

"Luke?" she asked expectantly, waiting for him to say something. "I—you're the father… just… to clarify that… I found out a few days ago, but I couldn't—I couldn't tell you. I kept worrying that you'd… that you wouldn't want a baby and you'd—" she was rambling, and Luke cut her off quickly.

"Lorelai –" Luke interrupted her and took her hand in his. "I would _never _leave you like that. I won't leave like that," he vowed, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you. No matter what, we will never change. Nothing's going to break us up, okay?" He said into her hair, kissing the top of her head. She settled her head on his chest and gave a sigh of relief, tears trailing down her face. She pulled back and wiped them away with a small laugh.

They stared at each other, not entirely sure what to do. She cracked a smile, and he returned it in a heartbeat.

"This is good, right?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes," Luke replied in a heartbeat, "this is good."

"Okay," Lorelai nodded.

_ Okay. _Everything was going to be okay. Luke was staying – her rational side told her he would be – and things were going to be fine. She nodded to herself, reassured herself for the hundredth time, and smiled.

"I better get back to the inn…" she trailed off. Luke stood silently. "And you have a diner to run."

"Oh, right," Luke agreed, "diner."

Lorelai sidestepped him and walked towards the door. She turned the handle just ask Luke spoke again.

"Are we—do we tell people?" he asked with curiosity.

Lorelai frowned and thought for a moment, "Tell who you want to… but ask them to keep it to themselves. We don't need the whole town watching our every move. More than they do already, anyway. Let's just keep it quiet for a little while… just until we're sure that everything will be okay. Three months. Five max."

"Why three months?" Luke asked dumbly.

Lorelai smiled. He really didn't know anything about pregnancies. This would be interesting. "The first trimester is when most miscarriages occur. If we tell people and I have a miscarriage, we should avoid the 'I'm so sorry for your loss' trip," she explained.

Luke nodded, "Okay. Who are you going to tell?"

"Sookie," Lorelai replied immediately, "maybe Michel. His feelings are easily hurt."

"Not…?" Luke questioned.

"No," Lorelai replied instantly, "not them. Not until we're sure. Maybe never."

"Lorelai, I really don't think—"

"Luke. I'm pregnant. We're not married. They're going to criticize and judge and, no offense, but they already hate you enough. I would like to avoid my father skinning you alive for knocking his daughter up."

"Okay," Luke agreed with a sigh. "But you will tell them eventually?"

"Eventually," Lorelai promised. She grinned. "We're gonna be parents…" She kissed him lightly, a more confident smile on her face. When he returned the smile, she turned and left. Luke watched her leave the diner and walk down the street.

People around the diner stared at him impatiently, waiting for him to take their order. He snapped out of his thoughts and flew to action, announcing free coffee to everyone.

* * *

><p>I'm not entirely sure where this is going. I have my ideas, that's for sure. If you have anything you'd like to see, mention it in a review and if I like it enough you might just see it happen. (:<p>

Like always, review please!

I love you,

Puppet.


	2. Dirty Apples

My plan for this story is that each chapter will represent one month. This means that this chapter is two months into her pregnancy.

It also means that in seven more chapters, Baby Gilmore will be here!

As always, read and review!

**Disclaimer: **I'm running out of 'If I owned Gilmore Girls' phrases, so there's not one for this chapter. I just don't own it, okay?

* * *

><p>It had been a week since Lorelai told Luke she was pregnant – four weeks since she first suspected. Her first month went by quickly. She hadn't told anyone yet, but she was heading to Sookie's today to tell her. She still wanted to be sure, of course, but after waking up with terrible morning sickness, she was positive.<p>

It was hard to believe that she was pregnant again. She called Rory more often to talk to her – hear her voice again – and Rory knew something was different about her. Of course she knew about the pregnancy already, but her over- analytical skills would have told her that if she hadn't known. She knew she was happy for this baby now. She had taken a week, after telling Luke, to think about it. It would be tough, but she had something she hadn't had before; she had Luke.

She had someone who she _knew _would be there for her no matter what. She had someone who would never leave her; never abandon her; never chicken out. She had someone who would never force her to do anything she didn't want to do; someone who took her thoughts into consideration; someone who loved her despite all of her crazy antics. Finally, she had found her other half.

Lorelai bounced up the steps and opened the door into the porch. She rapped on the door. A baby cried. Sookie groaned. Lorelai winced. Maybe now wasn't the best time… She started to turn away, but the door opened and Sookie leaned against the doorframe.

"Martha had just fallen asleep," she complained.

"I'm sorry," Lorelai apologized sincerely, "but I really need to talk to you."

Sookie straightened up in surprise. Lorelai was never this urgent. She ushered her in and sat down at the kitchen table. Sookie poured her a cup of coffee, which Lorelai took willingly. She only pretended to take sips, however, letting the tantalizing taste touch her lips just barely before setting it back on the table. The will to resist was much stronger than the will to down it in one gulp. Her instincts had set in. Instincts to keep herself healthy – instincts to keep the baby healthy. Sookie watched her with interest, though her eyes drooped tiredly.

"This won't take long, I promise," Lorelai said.

"No, it's fine," Sookie yawned, "really. Stay as long as you want. I'm just a little tired…"

"Right," Lorelai said unsurely, "anyway. Remember a few weeks ago when you were in the hospital—"

"And I thought the nurse looked like Ben Stiller?" Sookie asked with a laugh.

"Well, yes and no," Lorelai replied.

"Yeah, I remember that," Sookie nodded.

"And remember how I was eating an apple?" Lorelai continued.

"Yeah, that was weird. You never eat apples. At least, not that I know of. You never seem to. You—"

"Sookie, focus," Lorelai pleaded.

"Sorry. You were eating an apple…"

"The only time I've ever eaten an apple before then," Lorelai explained, "was when I was pregnant with Rory."

"Oh," Sookie said, obviously disheartened.

Lorelai stared at her for a few moments, and Sookie stared back obliviously. It was ten more seconds before Sookie squealed with glee.

"Oh my God! You're pregnant!"

Lorelai grinned with embarrassment. Just hearing the word made her happy and nervous all at once. She was so thrilled… yet Rory was brought up in a world where she had nothing, and thus taught her daughter that having nothing didn't mean that she _was _nothing. How would a child be now, in a world where she had everything she ever wanted? If she hadn't worried about being a mother over twenty years ago, she definitely worried now.

"Yeah," she admitted.

"Have you told Luke? It is Luke, right?"

"Of course it's Luke," Lorelai scoffed. First Rory, then she had to clarify for Luke… now Sookie? "I told him last week."

"Last week!" Sookie exclaimed, throwing her hands up dramatically, "and I, your best friend, don't hear about it until now?"

"Sookie, no offense, but I think father trumps best friend. In this case, anyway," Lorelai laughed.

"Yeah, I guess. How long have you known?"

"A month," Lorelai replied, "I wanted to be absolutely certain before I told you because you'd have a heyday with it. I woke up with terrible morning sickness, so I figured now was a good time."

"Morning sickness," Sookie grimaced, "that's fun."

"It's my favorite," Lorelai added sarcastically.

"Really?" Sookie frowned, "I don't see why you would like the feeling of—you're kidding. Nevermind."

Lorelai laughed, "I just wanted to tell you the good news. We're keeping it quiet for a while . We don't know when we want to tell people. So if you could…"

"My lips are sealed," Sookie vowed.

"Thanks, Sook."

"Are you excited?"

Lorelai nodded, grinning, "Yeah, I am."

* * *

><p>Luke stared at the Twickham house. He could easily imagine himself living there with Lorelai and their kid – or kids, if they had more than one. He could picture a child with hair as dark as Lorelai's racing around the front yard, laughing as the family dog chased them in happy circles. He could picture the two of them setting the table for dinner and standing on the front porch, beckoning the child inside. He could picture everything. He knew the house was old and needed a lot of work, but he was willing to put in that time and effort to make it greater than it already was.<p>

He had already bought the house from Taylor, but he hadn't told Lorelai. He wasn't quite sure how… or what to do. They weren't married. Should he propose they live there anyway? Should he wait until they were married? He sighed. He'd figure out something.

He walked up to the porch and wandered inside. He could see a screened-in porch to protect them from mosquitoes and other insects when they longed for a nice evening on the porch swing. He could see a little girl settled between them, a bright laugh on her face. He smiled.

He saw the living room. It expanded the entire left side of the house. Though empty, he could picture the family settling down for a movie night, an assortment of junk food littering the table. He could see the family pictures lining the walls, the countless movies lining the shelves. He could hear _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory _blaring from the TV. He could hear a child's laugh.

He walked across the hall into what he envisioned as the dining room. He imagined they wouldn't use it often, but when they did, he could see them laughing and sharing news at the table, he at one end and Lorelai at the other. He could see Rory on one side and another child on the other. It would be like the Gilmore Friday Night dinners... Danes style.

The dining room led into the kitchen, and he let his eyes graze over it. Of all the rooms, it needed the most work. Twickham obviously hadn't used it much, and the stove, microwave, and refrigerator needed to be updated. He could see an island installed in the middle of the kitchen, the stove attached to it. He could see cabinets lining the walls; smell the sweet aroma of grilled delights. He could see himself cooking and Lorelai laughing, attempting to help but failing miserably.

He left the kitchen and re-entered the hallway from the second entrance. There were three more rooms near the back, smaller than the others.

One was a den, which he could see being used as a study area for Rory when she came home on the weekends or simply as a place for quiet – which he knew would be rare in his house with Lorelai around.

The other he had yet assigned a purpose to, though he wondered if it could be an at-home office for Lorelai or a room for the washer and dryer. If they got a dog, maybe the dog could sleep there, too.

The last was the room that led outside into the backyard. He could imagine muddy shoes being stored here and he could almost feel a little girl push past him as she raced outside. He had the urge to follow her, chase her around the backyard… a smile crept onto his face.

He had already spent more than enough time exploring, and decided that he would look upstairs another day. As a child, he had been to Twickham's house many times, but he still couldn't remember what upstairs looked like. Then again, as he thought, he had never been upstairs. He spent a lot of his time helping Old Man Twickham out on the first floor, as the man had trouble climbing the stairs. Luke's dining room had once been Twickham's bedroom because it was closest to the kitchen. He hadn't been anywhere else because his health was failing him.

Walking out of the house, he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away, back down the street towards the diner. Maybe he could fix it up. By the time the baby arrived, who knew, it could be finished. He decided that was what he would do, and he called Tom to get him on the job right away, subtly hinting that Lorelai shouldn't know about it. Tom picked up on the hint easily.

He was back at the diner by lunch, and only minutes later, Lorelai walked in. She was moaning, and Luke hurried to her side.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she grumbled, "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Gee, thanks for boosting my self-esteem," she muttered.

"Someone's grouchy," Luke observed with a small laugh.

"Someone better watch it," she retorted, "or I'll come over there and watch it for you. And don't say 'dirty,' that's my job."

_At least she has her humor_, Luke thought. "I wasn't going to."

"Good."

"Dare I ask why you're in such a bad mood?"

"My sides hurt; nothing major," Lorelai explained covertly, aware of the people sitting around her, curious stares boring into her back. "It's typical. You know, girl stuff." And by girl stuff, she meant pregnancy stuff. Not… the other stuff. This took Luke a moment longer than usual to understand before he nodded.

Lorelai could still feel the stares, and she whipped around with annoyance. Pairs of eyes stared back at her, slightly frightened. "Do you have a problem? Do you need more coffee?"

"N-no…" a patron stammered.

"Then mind your own business," Lorelai snapped. Heads snapped down in unison, and the customers all stared at the tables. She turned back around to see Luke shaking his head in concealed laughter. "Instead of laughing, can I get some food?"

"That depends. What kind of food?"

"A burger. And fries. No wait, scratch that. Just the fries. No, scratch that. No fries. Just a drink. Coffe—water. Water. And… and a bagel. No, pie. … Better be a bagel. A bagel. Wait… what about a banana?"

"Water and a banana?" Luke asked skeptically.

"And peanut butter," Lorelai added, "smooth. Not crunchy. I hate crunchy." She paused. "Dirty?"

"Maybe a little," Luke admitted. "So… water, banana, peanut butter?"

"No. Water, apple, peanut butter."

"You said banana."

"I meant apple."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I want an apple and water and peanut butter and chocolate."

"You're adding things."

"I am not. I just forgot the chocolate."

"Okay," Luke said gruffly, "Apple, water, peanut butter, chocolate. I'll be right back." _Before you change your mind again_. He was glad he knew the basic things about pregnancies: cravings. In the storage room, he had stocked up on random things he thought Lorelai might want when she visited the diner. From fruit to junk food, his storage room had it all. He found peanut butter, an apple, and a bag of chocolates. He also found a bottle of chocolate syrup and figured he'd take that as well, just in case. He grabbed a bottle of water off the floor and brought it out to her, spilling them onto the table.

He pulled out a bowl for her and handed her a spoon. She put lumps of peanut butter into the bowl and cut up her apple with an apple slicer – which he also provided – and dipped the apple slices into the peanut butter. He watched her curiously.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "I was thinking, though… would it be okay if I moved in with you?"

"At my house?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, at your house."

"Why would you want to do that?" she asked.

"Well, I—" Luke stammered, "I figured you'd need some help. With… things. And…" he cut off to glare at some of the customers who had resumed their eavesdropping. When they went back to pretending not to listen, he continued with a quieter voice. "you're pregnant. And, as the father… I want to help."

He was expecting her to say no, as she had been doing the past few days. Do you want to go to the movies? No. Do you want to go to the town meeting? No. Do you want to—No. No, no, no, no, no. He knew this would be a "no," too. He waited for that one word, one syllable, to leave her mouth. He prepared his counterargument. It's more practical. You'll thank me later. None of them sounded too great if he put himself in Lorelai's shoes. He wasn't sure how he would survive the rest of this pregnancy, let alone how _she_'d survive.

But as he heard her answer, he found that the word wasn't a "no," but a "yes." He could have kissed her then and there, and he would have if her face wasn't smothered with peanut butter. He offered her a napkin.

"Thanks, Lorelai," he said.

She smiled in return.

* * *

><p>I actually love this chapter, and I hope you do as well. (:<p>

Review, por favor.

To the two anons from Chapter 1:

(No name) - Thank you for your review! c: I do have a gender picked out already. (: For the most part, anyway. I have a gender and name picked out for either, so it could go either way.

Jan - Thank you so much. Yes, that will be _quite _the interesting chapter. In fact, it's coming up soon, so we shall see! Emily is one of my favorite characters (but really, they all are), so it'll definitely be an interesting one.

I love you **MUCHO**. Like, really. I responded to all of the reviews for once, and I hope I can keep up with that because I really don't think I thank you enough. It means a lot that you read this and took the time to review it.

Puppet


	3. Names and Pie

Hello! Quick update, huh?

I won't be here this weekend, and I was planning on updating on Sunday or Monday, but I'm not sure if I'll be home to do that.

So here is your Labor Day Weekend treat- two chapters, two days. (:

Read and review, as always, and enjoy your extended weekend (if you're like me and have Monday off).

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gilmore Girls, Pregnant!Lorelai would be way funnier than this.

* * *

><p>"Good morning!" Lorelai chirped as she bounced into the diner, "one extra large cup of coffee to go. Biggest one you've got – I'm talking Eiffel towers here."<p>

Luke shook his head, "No more coffee."

"It's gone?" Lorelai frowned in shock, "but you never run out of coffee!"

"I mean for you," he clarified.

"You—" Lorelai gasped, "You're cutting me off from coffee? Do you want to die?"

"Lorelai," Luke whispered, "you're pregnant."

"I know that," Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Coffee's not good for you."

"Okay, Health Police. I had coffee when I was pregnant with Rory for the first few weeks and she turned out just fine. Now fork over the coffee before I eat your face." He stared at her strangely and almost considered giving it to her, but he refrained. "Luke, I need coffee. How much do you like your face?"

"You can't have coffee, Lorelai. I'm cutting you off," he stated simply.

"Luuuuuuuke," Lorelai whined, "if I can't have coffee, can I have pie?"

"A little," Luke caved, cutting a tiny piece off the pie plate and handing it to her on a napkin. It was a measly little portion, and she stared at it sadly.

"Hey Luke?" she asked.

"What?"

"Can my tiny piece of pie have a tiny fork and a tiny cup of milk to go with it?" she asked.

He sighed, "Lorelai, you need to watch what you eat."

"A piece of pie won't hurt anything. Please, Luke? Just _one _piece?" she begged.

"I gave you a piece. That's your piece," he said firmly.

"Luke!" Lorelai threw her hands up in the air impatiently, "I just want a piece of pie. Just one piece of pie. I've been sitting around at the inn all morning trying to pretend like I'm not craving everything I can possibly think of, and I finally leave for my lunch break and all I want is pie. Now, I've been pregnant before and you haven't. Pie is perfectly fine. Give me pie or give me death."

Luke was taking her seriously at first, but the last line threw him off, and he raised an eyebrow. "Give you pie or give you death?" he echoed.

"Give me pie or give me death," she repeated.

Tentatively, he added more pie to her napkin.

"Thank you," she said kindly, sitting down gracefully.

_Mood swings_, he decided. "Lorelai."

"Hm?" she asked, mouth full of pie.

"You really don't need to be up and bouncing around like that."

"Luke," Lorelai laughed after she swallowed, "the baby in my stomach is the size of a strawberry. He or she is perfectly comfortable with me bouncing around and making a complete fool of myself."

He conceded skeptically. "Fine. How was this morning?"

"Oh, peachy," Lorelai replied sarcastically, "I spent half the morning throwing up and the second half getting dressed trying _not _to throw up on - not the first but the _second_ - outfit of the day."

"Sorry," Luke winced.

"For what," Lorelai asked, "getting me pregnant? Because you have nothing to apologize for there." She winked.

"Geez," Luke grimaced.

"Speaking of g's," Lorelai said, "I have an appointment today."

"Nice segue."

"Thanks. Anyway, you're still coming right?"

"Wouldn't miss it," he responded with a smile.

"Good. Let's go."

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"It's in like, an hour. And you know how long it takes to get to Hartford. We've gotta get moving or we're going to be late."

"Let me finish up here first and then we'll leave."

"Luke, the faster we leave the sooner you get to see the ultrasound. And the sooner _I _get to sit down. Also, can I have some cheese?"

Her persuasion worked and Luke was out the door before she was, tossing her a pack of sliced cheese as he did. She laughed and followed him, a happy smile on her face. Yes, this was positively, absolutely, definitely good.

Luke drove Lorelai to Hartford, riddled with excitement. What if the baby was a girl? He could imagine her hair, as dark as Lorelai's. He could imagine her eyes, as bright as Lorelai's. He could imagine her running around the house, laughing as he chased her. He could see himself helping her with her homework, taking her to a father-daughter dance, threatening every boy she brought home… standing there on her wedding day. But what if the baby was a boy? He could see himself teaching him how to play baseball, soccer… he could see him laughing with glee as Lorelai tickled him on the living room floor. He could see himself telling stories to him or her; how he and Lorelai met, fairytales… But he was getting ahead of himself. As he turned to look out the driver's side window, Emily Gilmore was sitting in the car beside them at the stoplight. His eyes widened slightly, and he tapped Lorelai with his arm.

"What?" she asked.

"Your mother," he responded stiffly. "Don't look."

Despite is words, she peered over him and out the window. Sure enough, her mother was tapping her fingers impatiently on the wheel. She sat up and stared at the light. "Turn green, turn green, turn green," she chanted.

Luke chanced a look at Emily again. She was looking at him this time, motioning vigorously for him to roll down his window.

"Don't do it," Lorelai said, "for the love of God, don't do it."

"I have to, Lorelai," Luke argued. He rolled down his window.

"Luke," Emily greeted, "what are you doing?"

"Nothing, Em- Mrs. Gilmore," he replied uneasily, "just uh, taking a trip into Hartford…"

"Who's that with you?" Emily asked, noticing a person fidgeting beside him. The person went still as she asked this. "Lorelai?"

Lorelai leaned forward and smiled, "Hi, mom."

"What on earth are you doing?" Emily asked.

"Luke already answered that, mom," Lorelai smiled. "We're just enjoying a day in Hartford."

"Yes, well," Emily replied thinly, "enjoy your day."

"Don't tell me what to do," Lorelai snapped. Emily looked appalled, confused, and Luke rolled up the window quickly.

He rounded on her, "Are you crazy?"

"She's so controlling," Lorelai complained, "always telling me what to do and when to do it. God, I hated that house. All I wanted to do was leave. She was trying to control my life and—" Lorelai started to cry, tears rolling down her face.

He wasn't going to be able to handle these mood swings at all. He tried to soothe her, patting her arm comfortingly.

"Lorelai, calm down," he attempted awkwardly, "she was just being polite."

"Oh, yes, _polite_," Lorelai seethed, "I learned how to maintain proper space and distance and which side my fork goes on and how to address someone at a social gathering. That was fun."

"Lorelai," Luke repeated, "you're working yourself up over nothing. We're going to be there soon. Just… try not to implode from emotions before then."

* * *

><p>"You look in exceptional health, Mrs. Gilmore," Dr. Green smiled.<p>

"Oh, we're not married," Lorelai corrected her.

"Sorry, I just assumed," she apologized.

"Well you know what happens when you assume," Lorelai said rudely.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, nothing," Luke covered with a small glance to Lorelai, who seemed to be hiding a laugh. He turned his focus back to the woman. "So what do we do from here?"

"Well, Ms. Gilmore is about three months into her pregnancy," she replied, "so the only thing to do right now is make sure she's eating healthy and getting everything she needs to keep the baby healthy. Chances of a miscarriage of dropped considerably by now, so you don't have to worry about that as much. You'll probably be putting on some weight soon, but no one will notice yet unless you tell them. We can't determine a gender yet, but we can definitely try next month. Right now you'll be able to see most of the baby's major organs, if you want to do an ultrasound now. Like I said, we can't determine a sex yet, but you can still see how everything is developing."

"Yes, please," Luke answered quickly.

Dr. Green smiled. "Give me a few minutes and we'll have everything set up."

It wasn't much longer before they were staring at the ultrasound. Lorelai's hand gripped his firmly, and there was a trace of a smile on her face. Her eyes were watering, but she was doing her best to hold back tears.

"Look…" she whispered, "right there."

"That thing there?" Luke squinted.

"Yes, 'that thing there,'" Lorelai mocked.

"Sorry, geez," Luke apologized, kissing the top of her head lightly. "It's just so little…"

"They will be for a while," Dr. Green nodded, "but he or she is developing well. In a few weeks you can come back and we'll see if we can determine the sex."

"Oh," Lorelai laughed, "that'll be fun. I remember when I was pregnant with Rory… she didn't like to keep still much."

"Still doesn't," Luke observed. "I remember when she wanted me to make her something for school – it required woodwork of some kind, I forget. But she wouldn't stand still! She just kept bouncing around the diner like a pogo stick…"

Lorelai smiled and leaned her head against his lower arm. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Luke responded almost immediately. Her hand was on his upper thigh, and his free hand rested on hers. She stared at their hands, joined, for a moment. His hands were large, strong. Hers were much smaller, lighter. It was strange how two completely different people could be so compatible, but she reminded herself that opposites attract. Christopher's hands weren't like Luke's – they were more like her own. Smaller and softer. She almost laughed at this realization.

Turning her head, she kissed his arm and sat up, "Good news."

"What?" he asked.

"We're at the end of the first trimester. The second is the easiest. No more morning sickness."

Luke sighed with relief, "I'm sorry, but there's only so many times I can hold your hair back."

"There's only so many times I'll _let _you hold my hair back," Lorelai agreed.

Dr. Green smiled, "We're all finished, so feel free to go when you're ready. There are copies of the ultrasound in this folder." She handed it to Lorelai, "And congratulations."

Lorelai nodded, "Thanks."

"Yeah," echoed Luke, "uh, thanks."

After a few more minutes, Lorelai and Luke left.

In the car, there was silence between them. The ultrasound folder rested on her lap and her fingers brushed over the corners. She was staring down at it, lost in thought. One more month and she'd know the sex. A part of her longed for another daughter. She wanted a daughter to talk to like she did with Rory. A daughter who understood her as well as Rory did. A daughter who would let loose with her. And yet she also wanted a son. A son to spoil. A challenge; she had never had a son before. She didn't know the first thing about them. But she still wanted one. She would be satisfied with a son or daughter, she decided.

"Look in the glove box," Luke said suddenly.

Lorelai stared at him in confusion, "Err, sorry?"

"Glove box. Open it," he repeated.

She did just that, and a few pieces of paper fell out onto the floor. She picked them up and sifted through them. "Names... these are… names…"

"Names I thought would be good for the baby. I kept a piece of paper in my pocket and wrote one down when I thought about it," he clarified.

"Luke…" Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. "This is… amazing."

"It's nothing," Luke shrugged.

"It is," Lorelai argued, "I haven't even begun to think of a name. When I had Rory, her name was just a last minute name. Something I decided on when I was whacked out on Demerol. Before that, I had no idea what I was going to call her. This is just… I've never done this before."

"Sure you have!"

"No, I mean… this. The naming. I've had a baby before. I've done that. But I've never gone through a naming process. I didn't buy many of Rory's first clothes – mom did. And her stroller. For the first few weeks of Rory's life, I was just sort of… there. I've never done the whole thing…" she gave a small laugh, "never opened the whole package."

"Well now's your chance."

Lorelai nodded, "I guess so. So… tell me about this list."

Luke glanced at it for a minute to re-familiarize himself with its contents. "The names on the left are names I thought of for a girl. The ones on the right are for a boy. The ones circled have ties to my family and-slash-or your family. The ones underlined are ones I have a personal fondness for."

Lorelai glanced over it. "William… Henry… Lucas… yeah, that would be nice. Lucas the Second and Lorelai the Third," she joked.

"A middle name would work, too, you know," Luke pointed out.

"Yeah, of course," Lorelai nodded. She skimmed through the list again, this time looking at some of the girl names. "Katherine… Elizabeth… you want our kid to have trouble spelling her name when she goes to school?"

"She'll learn it," Luke shrugged. Lorelai laughed.

"Yeah, okay."

"When are you going to tell them?" Luke asked as he passed the turn-off towards the Gilmore's.

"Soon," Lorelai replied vaguely.

"Lorelai…"

"Luke," Lorelai said, "I promise you I will tell them. Wait one more month so we know the sex of the baby. We'll have a better chance of living if we bring her the sex of her grandchild."

He sighed, "fine. But I'm holding you to that."

* * *

><p>I realize this chapter is shorter than the other two, and I apologize.<p>

The good news is, though, the next chapter is on the longer side. (:

Look for the next update between Wednesday and Saturday of next week. c:

Review, por favor.

I love you,

Puppet


	4. Not Enough

Here's chapter four! I figured since I'm almost done with the next chapter, I'll go ahead and upload this one. (:

I generally try to reply to reviews before I put up a new chapter, but I'm slightly pressed for time. However, I really wanted to get this chapter up.

I'll reply to reviews for _both _chapters this weekend. (:

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gilmore Girls, I would know what to name their child. ;-;

* * *

><p>Another month passed. She was putting on some weight now that the morning sickness had passed, and spent the day in Hartford shopping for maternity clothes. With Rory still in Yale and her court trial debacle in the past, she was slowly putting herself back on track. It had taken persuasion from all three elder Gilmores before she had returned to Yale. It had taken three Gilmores to convince her that moping around at home was not the way to prove to Mitchum that she "had it." When she believed them, things seemed to be put at ease quickly. Lorelai called her and asked her to tag along with her shopping for clothes. She agreed instantly and the two met at the mall.<p>

"Mom!" Rory cried joyously, practically tackling her mother with glee in the middle of the mall. When she remembered that she was pregnant, she stepped back immediately. "Sorry, sorry…"

"It's fine," Lorelai laughed, "really. I missed you too much to care." She draped her arm over her daughter's shoulder and led her away.

"So what's today's mission?" Rory asked.

"Clothes. Maternity clothes," she answered.

"Have you and Luke decided on a name yet?"

"We've picked a few of our favorites."

"Like…?"

"Well, like Lorelai, for one," Lorelai teased.

"Ah yes, my little sister Lorelai. That wouldn't be confusing to people at all."

"Well, if it's a boy, we picked Henry William," Lorelai replied. "William after Luke's dad, of course. And Henry just 'cause it's cool. "

"Henry William," Rory tested the name on her tongue, "interesting."

"Yeah, and if it's a girl – which I think Luke secretly hopes it is – her name will be _something _like Danielle Emily Elizabeth. We're still debating that."

"Danielle Emily Elizabeth?" Rory echoed.

"Danielle after Luke's grandmother, Emily after my mother, of course, and Elizabeth because it's cool," Lorelai explained.

"Pretty," Rory decided.

Lorelai nodded, "we think so."

They walked through the mall and left with more bags than they could carry.

* * *

><p>"How are you feeling today, Ms. Gilmore?" Dr. Green asked.<p>

"I'm feeling great, actually," Lorelai replied, "So much better than last month."

"That's expected," Dr. Green smiled. "Ready to see if we can get a sex out of this baby?"

Lorelai nodded eagerly. "Please."

Later, the two of them plus Dr. Green were staring at the ultrasound. She pointed to it, "Right there, see that?" She was answered with nods. "That means that your baby is—"

"A girl," Lorelai gushed with pleasure, "a little baby girl."

Luke's face broke into a grin. A girl to spoil and protect and love… he couldn't even begin to describe his happiness. He already had two Gilmore girls that he loved more than anything… and now he was about to have another. He smiled and, realizing Lorelai was crying, warmed his arm around her, pulling her against him.

They got copies of the sonogram to take home.

Lorelai was curled up on the couch at her house, the folder beside her. She'd glance at it every now and then before shaking her head. She had to tell them. It would soon be getting to the point where it was noticeable, and the last thing she wanted as a confrontation like last time. She hadn't switched to maternity clothes just yet, but her more loose-fitting shirts had been dug out from within her closet. She knew Emily would notice as soon as she walked in clad in maternity clothes, and she knew she had to tell her soon. History had repeated itself so far, but she would not let it continue further.

"Luke," she called, "I'm going out. I'll be back later."

Luke's feet pounded the stairs as he hurried down before she reached the door, "Where are you going?"

"Ava and Adolf's," Lorelai replied.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No," Lorelai shook her head, smiling, "I'll take the bullet for this. You stay here. I won't be too long."

Luke nodded. "Be careful."

She laughed, "I love protective Luke." She kissed him gingerly and left, tossing a smile over her shoulder as she crossed the yard. Even as she drove away, Luke stood on the front porch, watching her until she was out of sight.

She reached the Gilmore mansion quickly, and turned off the engine. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and she began to regret her decision. She only let this feeling go on for a second longer before she stepped out of the car and grabbed the folder. She marched to the front door, unease still gnawing at her insides, and rang the doorbell.

"Alright. Go in, break the news, stay to argue, leave," she told herself.

The door opened and the maid stood in the doorway, shaking in fear. Typical.

Lorelai stepped inside and handed her the coat on her arm.

"Hi, I'm Lorelai," she greeted, "I'm here to speak to my parents…"

"This way, please," the maid stammered, leading her into the living room where Emily and Richard were seated. Emily was on the couch reading a book and Richard sat in the chair reading the newspaper. The maid cleared her throat.

"Estelle, you really must get better at announcing yourself," Emily criticized without looking up, "You say 'Excuse me, Mrs. Gilmore,' and continue from there."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Gilmore," the maid, Estelle, apologized. "Your daughter is here."

Emily and Richard looked up in surprise. "Lorelai," she greeted.

"Hi, mom," Lorelai smiled.

"Please, come, sit."She did. "What's in the folder?"

"Oh, uh, well. That's actually why we're here," Lorelai said nervously.

"You need money," Richard observed.

"Ha," Lorelai laughed, "no, actually. I don't." Richard looked up in interest. "Surprising, right?" Lorelai grinned, "your daughter isn't coming to you for money, so what on earth could she possibly want?"

"If it's not money, then what is it, Lorelai?" Emily asked, clearly impatient, "we're very busy, you know."

"Well, I don't know exactly how to tell you, so I'm just going to say it," she said, "I'm pregnant."

Emily sat in stunned silence. Richard sputtered as he tried to figure out what to say.

"That certainly explains your attitude when I saw you in the car a few weeks ago," Emily commented.

"Mom," Lorelai said seriously, exasperated. Was that the only thing she had to say?

"Luke's the father?" Emily asked.

"Uh, yes," Lorelai nodded.

"Are you getting married?" Emily asked.

"Did I mention she's a girl?" Lorelai asked weakly, knowing this was going downhill already.

"Are you getting married?" she repeated more firmly.

"No."

"Why not?" Emily demanded.

"Because we're not ready to get married yet," Lorelai replied, "I'm not getting married for convenience or practicality or just because you think we should."

"Well I think that's ridiculous," Emily said pretentiously, sitting back and looking upwards like she always does when she states her opinion.

Lorelai sighed, "Of course you do."

Emily glared at her, "When a person gets pregnant, she gets married. A child needs a mother and a father."

"And this child will_ have _a mother and a father," Lorelai argued angrily, "this isn't the same as last time."

"I don't see how it's not," Emily replied airily.

"Because I'm not sixteen," Lorelai snapped, "I'm at an age where I _can _care for a child and Luke has no intention of leaving and _every _intention of helping. Just because we're not married doesn't mean we're not a family."

"I respectfully disagree."

"Yeah, well, I respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement," Lorelai frowned. "There's more than one kind of family."

"There's also more than one kind of opinion, Lorelai. Yours isn't the only one you need to taken into consideration," Emily advised.

"Whose? Luke's?"

"Of course, Luke's," Emily replied, "he's okay with waiting?"

"We've already discussed it, and we're on the same page. We're fine with how we are right now. We'll get married when we're ready. Not when we feel like we have to."

"He must not love you that much if he doesn't want to get married." It sort of slipped out. She almost wished she could take back those words, and her facial expression showed her discomfort.

"And on that note," Lorelai growled, standing up angrily, "I'm not discussing this with you anymore. I came by to tell you the news. Luke's the father, the baby is healthy, she's due in February, and you're going to be grandparents again. Congratulations." She walked out, then, leaving the folder of ultrasound images in her wake.

"Did she say a girl?" Richard asked when she left.

"How should I know," Emily heaved, her voice laden with annoyance.

"Emily," Richard attempted to soothe his wife, "our daughter is pregnant. Again. The circumstances _are _different, and I do believe that Luke will be a good father to this child. He was basically a father to Rory! They'll be fine, and what they really need right now is for us to be supportive of their decision, however crazy it may be."

Emily wasn't looking at him. She knew if she did, she'd meet those eyes she could never say no to. She turned her head slightly, staring at him out of the corner of her eyes. And there they were. His eyes were locked on hers, silently pleading for agreement.

"Richard, she's pregnant and she refuses to get married. This is _just _the same as last time!" she argued defiantly.

"No, Emily, it's not."

"Richard, don't argue with me," she snapped.

"Don't argue with _me_," Richard retorted.

"I wonder if the Kennedys argued like this…" Emily reflected mockingly.

"Emily, please try to understand. If we don't agree with them, they may never bring that little girl over to see us. Wouldn't you hate that? I know Straub regretted not getting to know Rory, and Francine thinks it's too late for apologies. We don't want to end up like them, now, do we?"

"I suppose not," Emily sighed with defeat.

"Everything's going to be fine. You'll see," Richard assured.

Emily snorted, biting back a rude retort. Pondering, she went back to her reading.

* * *

><p>Lorelai raced home as fast as her Jeep would carry her. She pulled up to her house and leaned against the steering wheel, doing her best to hold back tears. Why couldn't they just be happy for her – for them? Richard seemed pleased, though he wouldn't show it, but Emily completely ignored it and skipped straight to the fact that she had no intentions of marrying Luke right away. She had thought about it, who wouldn't? But she was afraid she'd bolt like she'd done so many times before. She didn't want to do that to Luke. And as much as she hated to admit it, Emily's words got to her. What if Luke <em>didn't<em> love her enough to want to marry her? She knew it was crazy, but _what if_? She leaned back against the seat, resting her head on the headrest and closing her eyes.

That was how Luke found her; sleeping in her Jeep. He opened the door and kissed her forehead. She awoke slowly, blinking her eyes in surprise.

"I fell asleep?" she asked.

"You did," Luke nodded. He unbuckled her and helped her out. Together, they walked back inside. "How did it go?"

Lorelai groaned, "Fantastic."

"That doesn't sound good," Luke frowned.

"The only thing she had to say was 'are you getting married?' and when I told her we had no current plans, she exploded and gave me the same old run-around she always does."

"She thinks we should get married." It wasn't a question.

"Pretty much," Lorelai admitted. "And she didn't believe me when I said you were on board with me; she said you didn't love me enough. And she didn't even take a minute to be _happy_ that she's going to be a grandmother again. They didn't react at all when I told them that she's a girl and due in February. They just sat there, arguing with me."

"Even your Dad?" Luke asked.

"He agreed with my opinion, but he wouldn't dare say everything he thought in front of Emily."

Luke nodded in understanding.

"I just don't understand why they can't be happy," Lorelai said sadly, leaning against her shoulder. "They've never been proud of me. Not in a single thing I've ever done."

"That's not true," Luke argued. "You graduated from business school. They were pretty proud of you for that."

"No," Lorelai argued, "they were happy for me. They weren't proud of me. Their one and only daughter had the signs of a Yale student, a Harvard student, a Princeton student… and she fell from that because she got pregnant. And instead, she opened an inn. That's nothing to be proud of in their world. Face it, they're not happy."

Luke said nothing more, and Lorelai stormed into the house and retired upstairs. She tried not to overreact too much, but she couldn't help it. That nagging feeling in her chest from her mother's words… _Maybe he doesn't love you enough_. When Lorelai told Luke she'd said that… he didn't react; didn't argue; didn't defend himself in any way. She knew she shouldn't read too much into it, but Emily's words did that too her. Made her thoughts and emotions vulnerable. Made her feel weak. She waved absently to Luke as she ascended the stairs, not looking back but knowing full well his eyes were following her the whole way up. She tried to clear her mind; repeated the words over and over again as she drifted to sleep: _Of course he loves you. You're being stupid, Lorelai. Of _course _he loves you._

He sighed. Her relationship with her parents was so complicated… he wished he could offer some advice – anything – but he couldn't. He knew he had to do something; he couldn't let Emily's words slice Lorelai's confidence like that. They didn't believe that he loved her enough to marry her? He seethed angrily. Anyone who knew him knew well that he loved Lorelai more than anyone else in the world. That he had been a hermit before Lorelai had moved to town, and the moment that he met her he was happier and somewhat kinder.

He allowed Lorelai time by herself upstairs, fixing himself a meal in the kitchen to kill time. He sat at the kitchen table by himself, thinking. He wasn't going to sit by and let Lorelai and Emily's relationship fall through again. They had only just begun to mend the pieces. He thought about it more, and then he knew what he had to do. In the morning, before he went to the diner, he'd stop by the Gilmore's. He would explain to Emily their situation and his opinion on it all. Open, honest, and true. He would right this wrong and force Emily to apologize.

* * *

><p>He left for the Gilmore's before Lorelai woke up, leaving a note on the table for her to find. He was running an errand out of town. He'd be back later. He didn't want to be too specific. Lorelai wouldn't be happy if she found out. He'd tell her – he wasn't going to lie – but he wanted to get it over with before letting it all out. Wanted to make sure she wouldn't stop him before he got there.<p>

Driving to Hartford, he tried to summon all the emotions he had been feeling the night before. It wasn't hard. He was still angry with Emily for saying that to her; for making her feel like he didn't love her. Of course he did! He hoped he had told Lorelai that he _did _love her – more than enough – but he couldn't help but feel like he had forgotten. He cursed himself, but decided to worry about it later. He needed to focus on Emily and Richard. No one else.

He rang the doorbell once and it swung open almost instantly. The maid greeted him with a nervous smile.

"Uh, hi," he stuttered, "I'm Luke. Luke Danes. Are Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore home?"

"This way, please," the maid smiled. She led him through the house and into the dining room where Emily and Richard were sharing their breakfast.

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore," the maid interrupted.

"That's quite better, Estelle," Emily praised. The maid managed a smile.

"Luke Danes is here to see you," she announced.

Emily turned around with a smile, "Why hello, Luke."

"Hello, Mrs. Gilmore," he greeted.

"Please, Emily," she corrected with a small frown, wondering how many times she had told him that.

"Sorry, Emily," he apologized.

"What can we do for you?" Richard asked.

Emily motioned for him to take a seat, and he joined them at the table. "I'd just like to talk to you about the whole situation."

"I'm afraid that's not necessary," Emily waved her hand.

"I think it is," Luke replied boldly, "and I just wanted to make something clear."

"And what might that be?" Richard inquired.

Now that he was in their house, he seemed deflated. His bold confidence was slowly seeping away, but he did his best to summon it back. He took a nervous breath.

"I love your daughter," he replied. "And I assure you that, at some point, I do intend to marry her. I would like your support when I do. Until then, this is the way we're choosing to do things, and we'd appreciate your respect with this decision. It may not be the most practical decision, but it's what we want and it's what we think is best. We'll get married when the time is right. When_ we_ feel we're ready. Whether that be days before the baby's born or months after. Now, I don't know if that's the right thing to do, but that's how we're going to do it."

"Well, Luke, I apprec—" Richard started, but Luke wasn't finished yet.

"I do know one thing: Lorelai loves you. She values your opinions. She came to you yesterday and told you she was pregnant by herself. It was her decision and I had no influence. She was trying to let you into her life, and you completely shut her out. I want you to be able to get to know your granddaughter because I know she'll be just as bright and kind and loving as Lorelai and Rory. But that can't happen if you don't show Lorelai you care. Right now, she thinks you don't care. She thinks she failed in her effort to de-alienate herself from you. She came home yesterday and cried because she thinks you'll never be proud of her. She thinks she failed. Hell, maybe she did. Maybe you're both too close-minded to realize that she values your opinion more than she cares to admit. You think your words have no effect on her. They do."

"Well thank you for coming to tell us that, Luke," Richard said calmly. There was a small smile on his face, as if he was surprised that Luke had actually mustered up the courage to come in the first place. "I trust Lorelai is better?"

"Yeah," Luke stammered, "she's fine. She's great, actually."

"And the baby is healthy?"

"As healthy as ever."

"Have you decided on a name?" Richard asked. Emily was frowning at the entire conversation, eating her meal quietly.

"We have an idea. We're not completely sure we're going to stick with it, but right now it's the one we like most," Luke answered, "For a while we were set on Danielle Emily Elizabeth, but now we're leaning more towards something more… original. We like the name Hadley – Haddie for short. Hadley Katherine Noelle."

"Beautiful name," Richard beamed.

"Thank you," Luke nodded, "We think so."

"Katherine is a family name," Emily mused quietly.

Luke turned to her, "What?"

"Katherine. It was my mother's name."

"I know," Luke nodded, "Lorelai told me. It was my mother's name, too."

Emily smiled, seemingly pleased, "how sweet."

He couldn't tell if she was being sincere or not. "Anyway, that's all I came by to say, and I have a business to run, so… sorry to waste your time." He stood up, pushed in the chair, and began to walk out.

Emily was silent for a minute before she stood up and followed him to the door.

"Luke," she called.

He turned around, "Yes?"

"Lorelai left these here when she came," she handed him the folder, which had been sitting on the table in the foyer.

"Oh, er, thanks," Luke said gratefully.

"She's beautiful," Emily whispered, mostly to herself.

Luke nodded, smiling, "I know." He paused. "Make sure Lorelai knows that. Before it's too late."

With that, he turned and left, leaving Emily to reflect on his words of advice.

* * *

><p>It had been two months into construction at Twickham house. Lorelai had started to notice, but she didn't think anything of it. She figured someone had finally bought it and was giving it the care it needed. She was glad.<p>

So far, Tom had replaced a lot of the electrical units and the plumbing. He had begun to start simpler things – repairing holes in the wall left by the museum and making sure it complied with today's standards. He had been moving quickly, and, surprisingly, he was almost finished. In another month, he told Luke, it would be finished.

* * *

><p>Let it be noted that I am <strong>not <strong>sticking with the name(s) given in this chapter. As much as I love the name Hadley, I don't see it as a name for Luke and Lorelai's child. I picked a name today that I'm going to stick with, and you'll find out what it is in the _next_ chapter. c:

As always, read, review, and I love you (hey look, rhymes)!

Puppet


	5. Names and Houses

Chapter cinco!

I'm not sure how I like this one as compared to the last few (which I have personally adored), so tell me what you think. C:

**Disclaimer**: If I owned Gilmore Girls, I wouldn't have changed the name of their daughter so many times.

* * *

><p>Fall was truly setting in now, and the frigid October air swept through the town of Stars Hollow. Fall leaves danced in the wind, tumbling down the street as canines chased after them, their owners racing after them. The diner was busiest in autumn when the weather was so cold, and was, thus, his the best business season for the diner.<p>

"Luke, I'm still hungry," Lorelai whined.

"You just ate," he replied, appalled.

"Yeah, well, that wasn't enough. More please!" she thrust her plate out towards him.

"There's no more left. You already ate it all."

"I did?"

"Yes," Luke sighed.

"Oh," Lorelai frowned, "do we have any chips?"

He tossed her a bag of Sour Cream and Onion chips. She opened them greedily.

"Lorelai, honey, didn't you just eat a whole flotilla of fries?" Miss Patty asked, eying her nervously from the table by the window.

"Yes I did," Lorelai nodded.

"Don't you think you should cut back a little?"

"Why?"

"Well because…" Patty motioned to her abdominal area, silently hinting at the fact that Lorelai had put on a little weight.

"Oh," Lorelai shrugged, "that's nothing, Patty."

"It sure don't look like nothin', sweetie," Patty argued gently. She turned pointedly to Luke, "Shouldn't you be monitoring how much she eats, Luke? We can't have Lorelai walking around looking like that…"

"Looking like what?" Lorelai asked, offended.

"Frankly, dear, you look like you swallowed an apple seed and an apple is growing inside you."

Lorelai did her best to hide a laugh. Even Luke managed a grin. She was ready to burst at the seams with a "dirty!" and she bit her lip to hold it back.

"Well maybe I did," she shrugged, smirking at Luke. He shook his head and grunted to mask his discomfort, disappearing into the kitchen so he wouldn't have to hear any more. She bounced off the stool and wavered unsteadily where she stood. She stepped forward in an attempt to regain her balance, but that only made things worse. She cursed herself silently. _Stupid move, Lorelai_. She could feel the room spinning around her. She pressed the palms of her hands against her head and called for Luke, knowing that Patty was watching her nervously.

Luke hurried from the kitchen and to Lorelai's side, steadying her and guiding her to the empty chair at Patty's table.

"What happened?" he asked.

Lorelai shook her head, "it's stupid. I just stood up too quickly, that's all."

"I'm taking you home," Luke decided.

"You'll do no such thing," Lorelai argued, "I already spend more time here than at the inn than I should. I need to get back."

"Fine, I'll take you there."

"Luke—"

"No arguing. Go get in the truck and I'll drive you over."

Lorelai knew she was fighting a losing battle. She conceded with a sigh and stood up – slower this time. She rolled her eyes at Luke, but the glimmer in her eye told him she was only joking. He patted her shoulder as she went outside, "be there in a second."

Patty stared at him curiously. "What's up with Lorelai these days? She's been acting very strange."

Luke shifted nervously. When did Lorelai say they could tell people, again? He hoped now was a good time. He was beginning to run out of excuses for her behavior.

"Promise you won't tell anyone."

"Oh, cross my heart," Patty vowed. She laughed to herself because she knew her fingers were crossed behind her back.

"Lorelai's pregnant," he said in a low whisper.

Patty gasped, "_Wha_—"

"Remember, you promised you wouldn't say anthing," Luke reminded her. He pulled open the door and left, knowing that he would regret telling her soon. The whole town would know by the end of the day.

* * *

><p>It was evening when Luke and Lorelai returned to the house. Luke, being Luke, refused to let Lorelai walk home. She had been walking to the inn regularly, but he wasn't going to let it happen anymore. Slightly annoyed, Lorelai eased herself onto the couch, propping her legs up at one end and resting with a pillow behind her back on the other. Luke walked in after her, shutting the door and dumping her purse onto the floor beside the phone. She smiled at him as he walked over and sat down on the floor beside her.<p>

"I can move, you know," she offered quietly.

"No," Luke objected, "rest. I'm fine here."

"People kept coming by the inn to congratulate me," Lorelai said.

"Oh?" Luke asked.

"Yeah; it seems Patty has it in her mind that a stork is going to drop a baby here in a few months."

"I wonder where she got that idea from."

"Luke," Lorelai grinned, "it's okay. I'm glad she found out, however it happened. I wanted the town to know. I just didn't want them to make a big deal out of it."

Lorelai smiled softly, laying a hand on his shoulder. His hand reached up and held it there. He didn't want to let go. He could see himself standing at the end of a long aisle, that very same hand in his. He didn't want to wait anymore. He was done waiting. He had told Emily and Lorelai he was fine with waiting, but he found this harder to abide by day by day. He wasn't okay with waiting anymore. He wanted to move forward. Tom had told him yesterday that he was finished. The only thing the house needed now was a decorator and it would be finished. He wanted to get Lorelai on that right away. He vividly remembered Lorelai's reason for not wanting to get married, but this was because she didn't want it to be a practical marriage. This wouldn't be practical. It would be _real _and it would be _right_. He wasn't going to marry her so his daughter could have his last name. He wasn't going to marry her so his daughter wouldn't be confused as to their relationship. He was going to marry her because he loved her. There was no hidden reason; it was as simple as that.

He was about to speak, but at that precise moment Lorelai sat up, her hand flying to her abdomen in a heartbeat. Her heart raced. Luke turned around in surprise.

"What?" he asked worriedly.

"I—" Lorelai struggled to put the sensation into words, "the baby just kicked."

"_What_?" Luke's voice was excited. If Lorelai hadn't been so wrapped up in the baby, she would have giggled at his reaction.

"Here, maybe she'll do it again," she grabbed Luke's hand and guided it to her abdomen. They waited with bated breaths.

Soon enough, the baby moved again, and Luke jumped in surprise. Lorelai laughed.

It was one of those Kodak moments. Lorelai wished there were a photographer there to lock this moment in time. She knew that she and Luke both had happy smiles on their faces.

She turned fondly to Luke, "we haven't settled on a name yet."

"There're so many beautiful names…" he replied.

"What about Sarah Elizabeth?" Lorelai offered.

"Sarah Elizabeth…" Luke repeated, "I like it."

She grinned broadly, "I do too."

* * *

><p>Lorelai groaned as she opened her eyes. She hadn't slept well, and the glare of daylight only reminded her that she had to get up to prepare for yet another day of work. She tossed her head to Luke's side of the bed, frowning in surprise when she realized he wasn't there. Lately, he had started to go to the diner when she left and allowed Caesar to open for him. Maybe he had decided to go back to his old schedule… but still, he would have told her, wouldn't he have? She sat up and stared at the floor for a few moments, easing her dizzy head before rising and making her way downstairs and into the kitchen.<p>

There was a note on the table.

She walked over to it, picking it up with a yawn.

_Lorelai,_

_I need to talk to you when you get a chance. I'll be at the diner._

_Luke_

Lorelai grabbed her keys and hurried to her car, waving to Babette as she did. By the sound of his letter, it sounded urgent. What could it be that would cause him to leave so early? Maybe the diner caught fire! This only worried her even more, and she had to calm herself before she drove away.

When she arrived at the diner, she saw no signs of Luke. Concerned, she called for Caesar.

"Yeah, Lorelai?" he asked.

"Where's Luke?"

"He stopped by for a little while. Said he was going to stop by the inn to see you, actually. I thought he'd be talking to you now…"

"Thanks, Caesar…" she trailed off, "if he comes back, tell him I went to the inn."

"Will do, Lorelai," Caesar nodded.

She left in confusion and slight annoyance; she didn't like this running around deal. She got a cup of coffee before she left and headed for the inn. She was curious to know what Luke needed to tell her – it seemed urgent from the curtness of the letter – but she wasn't curious enough to be okay with running around town hunting him down. She felt like she was on a wild goose chase.

She was greeted at the inn by Michel, who was standing behind the welcome desk faithfully. A bored expression plastered his face. She walked over to him.

"Hello," he said monotonously.

"Michel, is Luke here?" she asked, praying that the answer was yes.

"I told him you were at Sookie's," Michel answered simply.

"Why would you do that?" she asked in annoyance.

"Because I thought it would amuse me," Michel stated with his thick French accent, "I was right." He grinned.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "So he's at Sookie's?"

"How," Michel asked, "should I know. I have been here every day for the past week _very _late because you leave early. I have not left this counter. I miss my bed."

Lorelai scoffed, "grow up, Michel. If Luke comes back, tell him I went to Sookie's."

"I'll try not to forget," Michel responded, which earned him a glare from Lorelai as she walked out.

Stop three: Sookie's. She drove fairly quickly, eager and impatient to know what was so important. She knew it must be important, or he wouldn't have left it in the note. She drove up to Sookie's and pulled into the driveway. Then, she climbed out of the car and slammed the door. Sookie was opening the door as she pulled up and she met her in the front yard.

"Lorelai!" she greeted.

"Hey, Sookie," Lorelai smiled, "you didn't happen to see Luke, did you?"

"As a matter of fact," Sookie replied, "he _just _left on foot. I bet you could catch up with him, though." She looked around, pointing down the street ahead, "he went that way."

Lorelai sighed. "Thanks."

She waved to Sookie and went back to her car, heading off in the direction Sookie pointed.

She was just passing Twickham house when she noticed someone go inside. Someone in plaid and a backwards baseball cap. Confused, she stopped the Jeep in the driveway and walked up the steps.

She expected the porch to creak under the weight, but they remained solid. She thought she was dreaming, so she walked up and down the steps and across the porch. Still, no noise. She could have sworn they had creaked when she had said goodbye to Old Man Twickham a few months ago… Why had they stopped?

When she stepped inside, she recognized a change right away. The walls looked nicer, better… the floor was newer. She knew someone had been giving it attention. It looked nice.

"Luke?" she called out uneasily, her heart racing. She knew it had been Luke who had hurried inside, but, still, her mind told her to get out. She was ready to turn away when a light flickered on down the hall. Nervously, she went towards it. "Luke, if you're going to jump out and scare me, please warn me so I won't hit you with a lamp."

Nothing.

She went forward nevertheless, and when she turned into the doorway, she gasped in surprise.

He wasn't going to let his bravery slip away that easily. He had been derailed last night, but not again. That morning, he left a note for Lorelai. _Go to the diner_. When she left, Babette called him to let him know she was on her way. He told Caesar to call him when she stopped by and tell her he went to the inn. When she stopped by the diner and Caesar relayed the news, she left. Caesar let him know. After a lot of persuasion, Michel agreed to send her to Sookie's. When Caesar called him, he left for Sookie's. At Sookie's, he explained to her his plan. She squealed with joy, and tackled him in a hug before he could push her away. When Michel called him to let him know Lorelai had left the inn, he set off for the Twickham house. The inn wasn't far away from Sookie's, and Sookie's was just down the street from the house. He knew he didn't have much time. He hurried inside to calm his nerves, wrapped up in his own mind as Lorelai entered in worry. He snapped out of his thoughts and turned on the light. He heard Lorelai's footsteps.

He turned around as she stepped into the doorway. Behind him on the table sat a vase of roses. The room was otherwise empty, though Lorelai noticed a picture frame hanging on the wall. She walked over to it and recognized the picture that Rachel at taken four years ago at the Firelight Festival. She turned back to Luke.

"What is this? Why is there a picture of us on the wall?"

"Come here," he said. Reluctantly, she walked over. He took her hand in his. He was determined not to lose his nerve, and he spoke with astounding confidence.

"I love you," he started.

"I—I love you too," Lorelai stammered uncertainly. This was obvious, wasn't it? Her eyes went back to the picture on the wall as he spoke.

"You are… the craziest woman I have ever met, but I can't imagine a day without you. I've been doing some thinking and… it's like my life isn't even real to me unless you're in it, and you're sharing it with me. Before—Before I met you… I was a mess. But now… I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our child."

"Luke…" Lorelai trailed, now anticipating what was coming. She couldn't say she had never expected this. She had; many times. She had thought about it and wondered what it would be like. She never had imagined it to be like this. Locking her gaze on the picture frame again, she realized its meaning. She was beginning to cry now, a slow trail of tears running down her face.

"Lorelai Gilmore," he descended to one knee, "will you marry me?" He pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket. Inside it sat a ring. It was simple, yet elegant; beautiful. He stared up at her hopefully, and she stared down at him adoringly.

There was a long silence between them. Not because she had to think about it – she didn't. But because she was so surprised, so happy… She had thought she was in love before, but this new wave of emotions put a whole new spin on the meaning. She wiped the tears from her eyes, laughing as she did.

"Yes," she breathed, nodding furiously. Luke stood up and she pulled him towards her in a tight embrace, kissing him passionately. When they broke apart, she motioned to the room around her. "So… this house?"

"Oh," Luke nodded, "I, uh, I bought a house."

"You what?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah. I bought this house… for us… you, me… I mean, if you don't want it… we can sell it. Kirk wants it… we could probably get more than I paid for it back because Tom fixed it up… I mean, if you want to sell it. We don't have to sell it; we can keep it if you want…" Luke rambled nervously.

"No," Lorelai interrupted. "I… this is really big, Luke… why—how long have you… when did you buy it?"

"I…" Luke shifted uncomfortably. "A few months ago. I was going to tell you, but then you said you were pregnant, and I didn't want to add to the surprises… and I just never found the right moment to tell you. I kept putting it off and putting it off and I just… You don't like it." He could see it on her face. "We can sell it. We'll stay at your place. We can—"

"Luke," Lorelai interrupted him again, laughing, "I love it. It sure would have been nice to know sooner, but… I love it."

"Really?"

"Really," Lorelai nodded, "just… don't buy a house again without telling me."

He smiled, drawing her close before he kissed her again. "You got it."

* * *

><p>This chapter was a little choppy to me, and it kind of feels like it went along too quickly. What do you think?<p>

I keep saying the name over and over in my head. _Sarah Elizabeth, Sarah Elizabeth... _I love the flow of it, I do. I wish I had been able to fit Emily or Katherine into it all, but I couldn't find a name I liked that flowed well with either of them. Also, I did not intend for her name to be a reference to Sarah Braverman, Lauren's current role on Parenthood. I _just_ noticed this. But it is a bonus. ;D

Anyway, review, please!

Love,

Puppet


End file.
